Gdansk – Best Things to Do
Gdansk
Our second stop is Gdansk, one of Poland’s Tricity integrated towns. The Tricity is a metropolitan area in Poland. It is formed from three major towns: Gdynia, Sopot and Gdansk, alongside their suburban areas.
Gdansk is Poland’s principal sea port and the 4th biggest metropolitan area. It is the capital city of the Pomeranian Voivodeship and it is one of the Poland’s oldest cities.
Gdansk’s history is very complex and intriguing. It has developed, from a small fishing and agricultural village, to a city that was wanted by everyone. The location of the city, on the Baltic Sea coast, transformed it in one of the principal trade centers in the medieval times. Being wanted by everyone, Gdansk was fought for, (undergoing Polish, German or Prussian rule and sometimes, a completely autonomous city).
Things to do in Gdansk
All these completely different periods of time and rulership in the history of Gdansk, made a powerful impact on its architecture and city landscape. The most beautiful way to discover Gdansk, it to go for a walk in the historical part of the city.
Walk the entire length of the Royal Way (the Drugi Targ). Here, you can see on both sides, old narrow and colorful houses. For some, it may remind them of Amsterdam. The houses have similar architecture of the ones that are found in the Netherlands. The idea behind the narrow houses’ construction, was to pay less taxes. In that time, the tax was imposed by the length of the street, that your house may occupy. So, the narrow the house, the less money paid on taxes.
As you walk on the Drugi Targ, you will feel surrounded by lovely restaurants and coffee shops, with beautiful terraces, to sit and enjoy the whole vibe that this part of the city gives you. At the end of the Royal Way, there is the Golden Gate, waiting to be admired. On the same street, you can visit the main Town Hall, Neptune’s Fountain and the Green Gate.
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Outside the Royal Way
After you pass the Green Gate, you will get to the waterfront of the Motlawa River. It is a stunning view there and it is the best to be discovered on both sides of the river. On the same side with the Green Gate, you could see the old silo, Zuraw. It is so interesting, and its crane is the one that will capture your eyes. It was used hundreds of years ago, to load cargo onto the ships.
If you want to serve your lunch or stop for a coffee, you should go to Mariacka Street. It is an old, beautiful and interesting street. Here, you will find old polish architecture. But, what makes this entire street stand out, is the oversized porches of the buildings.
If you are passionate about the history of the town, especially the recent history, another idea is to visit the World War II museum. We do recommend to visit it at the opening hours, to avoid the crowds.
Gdansk is Beautiful
For us, Gdansk was what we have expected. A beautiful city, full of history, interesting facts to discover and the kind of place, that makes you enjoy every second spent there. For a more interesting walk through the historical part of Gdansk and for more interesting stories to hear, we recommend taking a walking tour. We found ours on tripadvisor.com. Gdansk is so…Travelicious.